Review System

Assembly

Installing the motherboard is straightforward and takes spacers and screws. With the tweaked layout, there is no additional required step, and the cable-routing holes are much easier to access as well. The GPU naturally fits with plenty of room to spare, and because of the offset mounting bracket for the side fans/radiator, you will not run into issues when utilizing a 280 mm radiator with a long graphics card.


Using the new mounting plates for the 2.5" SSD, you first have to pop in the rubber rings and then screw the storage device down. Once in place, simply put the plate back and tighten the thumb screw to secure it.


To install a 3.5" drive, simply take off the rear cover and pull one of two metal drive trays out of the cage. They are extremely sturdy and also allow for 2.5" units to be installed. You have to apply the rubber rings to the appropriate openings and may then screw the drive down to hold it in place.


After that, you may slide the whole contraption back in where you found it. Once inserted, the sides clip into place to hold it all in place securely. Overall, while much simpler than in previous O11 cases, the mechanism is a great example of simplifying something while still retaining all the core attributes needed for an easy building experience.


Installing an ATX PSU is easily done by simply screwing it into place. The fan of the unit should face outward to draw cool air in from outside the case.


Installing a 240 mm AIO without the use of any optional accessories while also employing an ATX board with tall memory modules is a tight affair but actually works with a millimeter to spare with the DDR4 in our system. That means you should go for standard-height memory if going with a 280 mm radiator instead.


Even with the optional accessories, which you may screw onto the radiator to place it closer to the edge of the case and thus away from the motherboard, you don't gain too much more room with the Lian Li O11 Air Mini. While using these could be the difference that enables you to use a 240 mm unit, those opting for a 280 mm variant should install it into the side of the chassis instead. This is simply a testament to how well Lian Li already uses the space the chassis provides, while other cases may benefit from the RB-001 accessory more instead.


With everything installed, the interior of the Lian Li O11 Air Mini looks really nice and clean. The other slimmer half of the chassis contains all the cable mess in the center, which may then be covered up by the central plate.

Finished Looks

Once turned on, the compact Lian Li O11 Air Mini looks just as gorgeous as any of the other O11 series enclosures. The blue LED around the power button is nice, and well-designed even if we would have loved to see a white LED instead.


Looking at the front, you can clearly see the components through the fine mesh of the panel. This is because there is no need for a secondary layer of dust filters, thus giving you the best-possible airflow as well. In the rear, everything is where you would expect it, with all the ports easily accessible.


Thanks to the clear glass side panel, you can easily see all your hardware within the Lian Li O11 Air Mini. On the opposite side, even the SSD is visible through the fine vents of the side panel.